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70% of Consumers Say They'll Buy 'Green' Products, but Only 5% Actually Do. That's Due to a Common Marketing Mistake By Eco-Friendly Brands. You have to remember how consumers really make buying decisions.

By Jason Feifer Edited by Frances Dodds

Key Takeaways

  • Although consumers say they want green products, they don't respond well to traditional eco-friendly messages.
  • Many companies are so focused on the 'greenness' of the product that they overlook the marketing fundamentals.

This story appears in the September 2023 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »

Eco-friendly products have a problem.

Consumers say they want sustainable products; surveys show that up to 70% are willing to buy them. But only 1% to 5% actually buy them — a serious disconnect.

What's the solution? "That's where marketing comes in," says Edwin Stafford, a Utah State University marketing professor who's studied the sustainability issue for more than two decades.

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